Upgrade to Delta One/First getting harder?
Jun 1, 2018, 6:07 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: NRT/HND (Tokyo)
Programs: Skymiles (DM, 1MM, SC Lifetime) HHonors (G)
Posts: 150
Upgrade to Delta One/First getting harder?
Hi, All
Last weekend (May 25) I flew from HND to MSP and
HND-MSP (M), upgraded to Comfort Plus
MSP-PHL (M), upgraded to Comfort Plus
Today (Friday, June 1), I flew from PHL to NRT
PHL-ATL (M), upgraded to First
ATL-NRT (M), upgraded to Comfort Plus
Now, this is the first time in the last few years that I did not get bumped up to Delta One/First on transpacific flights when I purchased M class. Granted, the outbound flight was on the Memorial Day Weekend, but I was quite surprised that I only got to the Comfort Plus on the ATL-NRT segment. Anyone can shed insight/hypothesis as to what might be preventing my upgrade to Delta One/First? Appreciate your wisdom.
A puzzled DM and 1.5 MM flyer
Last weekend (May 25) I flew from HND to MSP and
HND-MSP (M), upgraded to Comfort Plus
MSP-PHL (M), upgraded to Comfort Plus
Today (Friday, June 1), I flew from PHL to NRT
PHL-ATL (M), upgraded to First
ATL-NRT (M), upgraded to Comfort Plus
Now, this is the first time in the last few years that I did not get bumped up to Delta One/First on transpacific flights when I purchased M class. Granted, the outbound flight was on the Memorial Day Weekend, but I was quite surprised that I only got to the Comfort Plus on the ATL-NRT segment. Anyone can shed insight/hypothesis as to what might be preventing my upgrade to Delta One/First? Appreciate your wisdom.
A puzzled DM and 1.5 MM flyer
Last edited by jinabe; Jun 1, 2018 at 6:11 pm Reason: Adding info
Jun 1, 2018, 6:12 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
Probably FCM.
First Class Monetization, or FCM: The Definitive Thread
First Class Monetization, or FCM: The Definitive Thread
Jun 1, 2018, 6:19 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MCO
Programs: DL PM, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 4,310
Hi, All
Last weekend (May 25) I flew from HND to MSP and
HND-MSP (M), upgraded to Comfort Plus
MSP-PHL (M), upgraded to Comfort Plus
Today (Friday, June 1), I flew from PHL to NRT
PHL-ATL (M), upgraded to First
ATL-NRT (M), upgraded to Comfort Plus
Now, this is the first time in the last few years that I did not get bumped up to Delta One/First on transpacific flights when I purchased M class. Granted, the outbound flight was on the Memorial Day Weekend, but I was quite surprised that I only got to the Comfort Plus on the ATL-NRT segment. Anyone can shed insight/hypothesis as to what might be preventing my upgrade to Delta One/First? Appreciate your wisdom.
A puzzled DM and 1.5 MM flyer
Last weekend (May 25) I flew from HND to MSP and
HND-MSP (M), upgraded to Comfort Plus
MSP-PHL (M), upgraded to Comfort Plus
Today (Friday, June 1), I flew from PHL to NRT
PHL-ATL (M), upgraded to First
ATL-NRT (M), upgraded to Comfort Plus
Now, this is the first time in the last few years that I did not get bumped up to Delta One/First on transpacific flights when I purchased M class. Granted, the outbound flight was on the Memorial Day Weekend, but I was quite surprised that I only got to the Comfort Plus on the ATL-NRT segment. Anyone can shed insight/hypothesis as to what might be preventing my upgrade to Delta One/First? Appreciate your wisdom.
A puzzled DM and 1.5 MM flyer
Jun 1, 2018, 8:05 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: SkyMiles 2018 PM, 2019 PM, 2020 PM, 2021 PM, 2022 PM, 2023 PM...
Posts: 314
I do much better returning to ATL than leaving ATL.
Returning from LAX two days ago I got D1, but had the extra bonus that the upgrade cleared five days in advance.
As ^^^^ D1 is only on domestic flights. I've not heard of any exceptions.
Returning from LAX two days ago I got D1, but had the extra bonus that the upgrade cleared five days in advance.
As ^^^^ D1 is only on domestic flights. I've not heard of any exceptions.
Jun 1, 2018, 8:45 pm
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MEM
Programs: Starbucks Green Card
Posts: 5,431
Granted, the outbound flight was on the Memorial Day Weekend, but I was quite surprised that I only got to the Comfort Plus on the ATL-NRT segment. Anyone can shed insight/hypothesis as to what might be preventing my upgrade to Delta One/First? Appreciate your wisdom.
Jun 1, 2018, 10:49 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: NRT/HND (Tokyo)
Programs: Skymiles (DM, 1MM, SC Lifetime) HHonors (G)
Posts: 150
Clarification
Sitting in 29E on my way from ATL to NRT And reading your replies. Thanks for your inputs. I should have said that I spend Skymiles for an upgrade (anywhere from 30 to 60K miles) but didn’t want to apply GUC when booking was done in M.
FYI when I booked the tickets in M it got UG to Comfort Plus almost Immediarely, but it never moved from that status to First D1 except for today’s PHL-ATL segment.
Could it be that the FCM Is affecting the upgrade requests?
FYI when I booked the tickets in M it got UG to Comfort Plus almost Immediarely, but it never moved from that status to First D1 except for today’s PHL-ATL segment.
Could it be that the FCM Is affecting the upgrade requests?
Jun 1, 2018, 11:51 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MCO
Programs: DL PM, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 4,310
Sitting in 29E on my way from ATL to NRT And reading your replies. Thanks for your inputs. I should have said that I spend Skymiles for an upgrade (anywhere from 30 to 60K miles) but didn’t want to apply GUC when booking was done in M.
FYI when I booked the tickets in M it got UG to Comfort Plus almost Immediarely, but it never moved from that status to First D1 except for today’s PHL-ATL segment.
Could it be that the FCM Is affecting the upgrade requests?
FYI when I booked the tickets in M it got UG to Comfort Plus almost Immediarely, but it never moved from that status to First D1 except for today’s PHL-ATL segment.
Could it be that the FCM Is affecting the upgrade requests?
Jun 1, 2018, 11:53 pm
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: Delta-pm, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-PP
Posts: 271
Sitting in 29E on my way from ATL to NRT And reading your replies. Thanks for your inputs. I should have said that I spend Skymiles for an upgrade (anywhere from 30 to 60K miles) but didn’t want to apply GUC when booking was done in M.
FYI when I booked the tickets in M it got UG to Comfort Plus almost Immediarely, but it never moved from that status to First D1 except for today’s PHL-ATL segment.
Could it be that the FCM Is affecting the upgrade requests?
FYI when I booked the tickets in M it got UG to Comfort Plus almost Immediarely, but it never moved from that status to First D1 except for today’s PHL-ATL segment.
Could it be that the FCM Is affecting the upgrade requests?
Jun 2, 2018, 1:11 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: NRT/HND (Tokyo)
Programs: Skymiles (DM, 1MM, SC Lifetime) HHonors (G)
Posts: 150
As pointed out by many, I guess I have been pretty fortunate to not have to apply GUC for upgrade to D1 I have been receiving. Thx also for pointing out the 3 hr window on the upgrade.
Jun 2, 2018, 5:02 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta PM, Marriott Plat, Hertz Pres
Posts: 3,649
As others have said, there’s no such thing as comp upgrades on international flights except in the instance of overbooked flights. It’s possible that since you paid for M fares, that’s pushed you to the top of the op-up list. But that should never translate into an expectation of an upgrade.
Jun 2, 2018, 5:11 pm
#13
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: msp
Programs: AA PLT 3MM, DL PM 2MM
Posts: 1,142
2MM here at PM......I expect C+ domestic.....if I want F I pay for it.....much more affortable than years ago......if I go to Europe there are usually some routes were Delta One is "affordable".....same to NRT.....or HND......UG's are a thing of the past.....if it happens great but don't count on it.....my take
Jun 2, 2018, 5:24 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Programs: HH-Diamond, IHG-Plat, DL-DM, PnF Plat, Kroger +
Posts: 514
ATL-NRT is always packed. ATL is my home airport and every time I need to go to Japan I do the ATL-DTW-NGO, this is much better for me. This flight is never full and sometimes I get the row to myself.
Like others have said, maybe you got lucky the flight was oversold and got bumped.
Offtopic (no threadjack intended). Is the Caribbean considered International? We flew to Aruba and got upgraded to first both ways and these were award tickets.
Like others have said, maybe you got lucky the flight was oversold and got bumped.
Offtopic (no threadjack intended). Is the Caribbean considered International? We flew to Aruba and got upgraded to first both ways and these were award tickets.
Jun 2, 2018, 5:29 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: ATL - DL DM/3MM - HH Lifetime Diamond - Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 3,117
I'm sure there are a lot of Diamonds who don't know how the process works, I've talked to a number of them while on flights. A very small number of Diamonds vs the total are on this forum.